BETHESDA, MD—With an eye toward further defining the direction of its lifestyle brands on a global basis, Marriott International has tapped Toni Stoeckl to take on responsibility for mapping an expanded horizon for its Renaissance, Moxy Hotels and AC Hotels by Marriott as VP, Lifestyle Brands.
Stoeckl has a leg up in making the move, stepping from his position as VP, Renaissance Hotels. With that base largely understood, he’s been concentrating on his new charges since he officially switched roles in August.
“Since then, I have spent much of my time immersing myself into our newest brands, AC and Moxy. I visited many of our fabulous AC hotels in Spain, spent time with Antonio Catalan [AC Hotels chairman and founder] and his team to learn about what makes the brand so successful. And, of course, I had a chance to see Moxy come to life at our first hotel in Milan,” Stoeckl said.
With more than 225 hotels in his group—a number expected to grow substantially—Stoeckl will be concentrating on not only the development and global growth of each brand, but he will play a key role in defining the direction of the global marketing strategy for the overall lifestyle brands.
“Each of these brands is designed with a distinct point of view that defines 360 degrees of the experience in a way that personally and emotionally resonates with the target consumer,” said the executive, ticking off some of the key characteristics.
“Renaissance is all about defying conventional travel for those who crave unexpected experiences from life,” said Stoeckl. “Collecting and sharing great stories make you even more interesting than you already are. We believe that you spend your life working; you should discover the world as you go—so providing opportunities for serendipitous discovery is what we are all about.”
He continued, “The target consumer of the brand is the modern-day business traveler. This means that Renaissance Hotels need to be in the locations where these travelers are doing business, but that also offer them the opportunity to discover and share memorable experiences.”
He emphasized the brand is designed around “making business travel fun again,” whether it’s listening to live music in the lobbies, taking in a pop-up art exhibit or having a handcrafted cocktails and locally inspired foods.
“Our Navigators [staff]connect you to the local hot spots off the beaten path, and if you don’t have the time to wander beyond the revolving doors, our bars and lounges always offer great opportunities through our curated events, ranging from fun mixology sessions, art exhibits or a performance by one of the hottest new artists in town.”
Renaissance Hotels is on track to open a total of nine hotels this year, breaking into markets that include Santiago, Chile, and Aix-en-Provence in the south of France; six have opened thus far, and the brand expects to have an aggregate of 160 hotels in 37 countries by yearend.
Stoeckl indicated he’s intrigued about the uniqueness of AC by Marriott’s European roots and its move to the United States.
“The brand is coming over the pond to redefine the space and attract a new kind of consumer from the upper-moderate tier,” he noted, adding it complements Marriott’s existing lineup of brands with its own distinct style.
“AC is a brand that has been wildly successful in Spain and across Europe, with a sleek approach to design combined with unique elements embodying the character of each destination. The B&F experience—yes, we call it B&F instead of F&B—is truly unique. The ambiance of the AC Lounge is much like a beautiful cocktail party, with amazing cocktails and delicious tapas. AC has the potential to define its own spot within the upper-moderate category,” said Stoeckl.
AC Hotels by Marriott, which offers a portfolio of more than 72 hotels in Spain, Italy, Portugal and France, launched in Europe in 2011 as a joint venture with Spanish hotelier Antonio Catalan.
The growth plans for the brand call for more than 30 hotels within the next three years throughout the U.S. and Latin America.
This includes an adaptive reuse AC in New Orleans set to open shortly.
“We are making great progress and are on track to open our doors in late October. It’s a gorgeous building that historically housed the Cotton Exchange of New Orleans, which lends itself beautifully to the European design sensibility of AC,” said the VP.
He noted AC’s sister brand, Moxy, recently made its debut in Milan at the Malpensa Airport, bringing 162 rooms to the Italian city.
“We are thrilled that the Moxy Milan has arrived this past month. The reaction so far has been more than we could have wished for, particularly the buzz around the brand in social media,” said Stoeckl. “Moxy is all the style and soul you’ll find at a boutique hotel, but way more affordable. We splurge on modern residential design, high-speed WiFi and a fun living room where things are always happening.”
Inter Hospitality Holding B.V., an affiliate of the Property Division of Inter IKEA Group, owns the property.
More Moxys are set to open in key cities throughout Europe by 2016 including Munich, Berlin and Frankfurt in Germany; Oslo, Norway; London; and Aberdeen, Scotland.
“This brand is all about the now,” said Stoeckl.
Which plays well against what most hoteliers are trying to do: capture the Millennial market, and the VP acknowledged lifestyle brands is no different.
“Each brand is about a mind-set, about the psychographics of our customers. Designing experiences for our next—or, better said, new—generation of travelers is our primary objective for each of these brands. We are never about alienating our existing guests; it’s much more about having a fresh approach to a travel experience, layering unique discoveries and experiences on top of a great hotel stay with the aim of creating raving fans that love these brands,” said Stoeckl.
He described Moxy as a brand designed for the mind-set of Millennial travelers. “As they are entering the workforce, they are looking for a place to stay that personally resonates with them and reflects their own lifestyle. Millennial customers are confident and self aware, well versed in how to travel in today’s tech-enabled world. They appreciate the idea of hospitality over service: they want to be welcomed, and to help themselves. They realize that self-service can be the best service,” said Stoeckl. “They are value-conscious, yet expect a lot. They choose a brand they personally resonate with—one that is fun and youthful in spirit, fashion forward in design, and ahead of the curve in technology and one that allows them to move through the world without borders.
“Most of the members of our brand team behind creating the Moxy brand are Millennials themselves. So, in a way, it’s a brand created by next-generation travelers for next-generation travelers,” he said.
Stoeckl, who began his hospitality career at his family’s business near Frankfurt, expects his industry experience will serve him well in his new position. He joined the Sheraton Frankfurt Hotel in 1996 before making the move to the U.S., and, prior to joining Renaissance Hotels in 2009, he served as the global brand director of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide’s Luxury & Design Brands.
“I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to collect really diverse experiences in my career thus far. Growing up in Europe with my family’s business in the hospitality industry was a great start to help me find my passion for what I do,” said Stoeckl. “Combining that with having had the fortune of being part of creating new brands and repositioning existing brands in my past will give me a great perspective of what’s ahead for the lifestyle brands at Marriott… I love being part of creating something new.”